CALLING ALL "SALT" LOVERS! Ideas for a new "salt" knife.

[Surfingringo]

I can't see any photos.

[malice]

let's try this then

[Surfingringo]

Very nice. Malice, your illustrations make it easier for me to keep thinking of features and ideas, so I am going to keep mentioning them. I think you have a great, well thought out design, so don't take any of these things personally. It's just that your work makes it easier to see these things.

I think on the salt line it is especially important to have a large easily accessed opening hole. I have situations all the time out on the water where I need my knife RIGHT NOW and only have one free hand. So I would vote for a larger opening hole. I love the aesthetics of this design, but like all spydercos, function should trump form. In other words, the spine might need a little hump in order to get a larger opening hole. I think this might enable you to straighten the spine a little and thin the blade out a bit too. Nothing radical, just kind of like mirroring the change you made to the belly. I am going to include a drawing I did based on your design to try to illustrate what I'm talking about. You will notice that what my drawing illustrates most clearly is that I am no artist. :D Forget about the handle...it's a train wreck I like the curve of your handle but just couldn't draw it right. The only thing I'm trying to illustrate is my thinking on the opening hole and spine. Let me know what you think.

[malice]

Hi there surfingringo,
thanks for the drawing.

I think I get the gist of your idea.
How big is big enough for a spydiehole on this type of blade in your opinion ?
in the design made in the photos, the diameter is 13 mm.

That being said, I have some thoughts about the hump:
If I would include it in the design, I would make it a bit more shallow (to keep the line designwise, but also to keep the point of the blade as natural an extension of the hand as possible sightwise.) and place it more forwards (otherwise it will probably end up under the guard).

But let's keep the idea's coming. I'm having fun trying to improve the design and implementing your suggestions. :)

Now if only Sal could give me his thoughts on the design, I would be a very happy camper.

PS I'm working on a duo of designs that could easily join the ethnics range.... Now if only I could get this lock design just right... (because why not try and invent something, hè)

[Surfingringo]

Well, I was going to say 14mm which is about pm2 sized I think. I didn't realize yours was already almost that large. I agree about trying to keep the overall curve of the spine and handle like in your original. As long as they could do that and make the knife easy to open in all conditions (wet, slippery, gloved) then I would opt for no hump or something very subtle. From a personal preference standpoint I would still like to see the blade a bit narrower and the tip a bit finer. Maybe there's a way to accomplish that by taking just a little bit of the curve out of the spine. If that can be done and still blended naturally into the curved handle with no hump then all the better!

[spambait11]

I vote for straight handles. Please no curved handles on the new salt, Sal!

[twinboysdad]

Awesome work on the proto, I am still hoping for a really negative blade angle and Ayoob-esque if you will. I like the curvier model better based on the sames because of the negative angle

[sal]

Interesting thoughts. I think I would opt for a 14mm hole and probably less angle on the handle. The large reverse angle like the Ayoob has is very specialized. This affects sales when trying to reach a larger market.

sal

[malice]

Alright, back to the drawing board for Barracuda 1.1.
I'm going to try less negative angle (somewhere in between the Ayoob and the Catcherman), and a 14 or even 15 mm spydiehole.

But still some negative angle. Because, well, I must admit in daily live, I am quite the fan of negative angled blades ( I love my nepalese kukri and Opinel ! ).
And from a biomechanics point of view, it's better for the body. There is, as my sensei often puts it, economy of movement.


And I'm also going to try a humped, endura-handles based 'Cuda.

This is going to be fun.

I'll keep y'all posted.

[Surfingringo]

Nice. Glad you are into this malice. Having the mock ups helps everyone conceptualize this idea, so thanks for the effort. Dont be afraid to try different ideas.

[Half Sack]

FFG Salt Endura with G-10 or even better Para2! Has this been mentioned? Sorry I got excited going back to page 1 to read up.

I've read that FFG doesn't work well with the H1 but a boy can dream right?
My pick, Para 2 compression+G-10+Salt=Great.

Edit these always happen: I'm still on page 1 but a Salt Pingo would be great, it doesn't follow my request but I think that'd be great. Pingo H1 sprint!

[Jazz]

I'm with Sal on the angle on the handle - too much for me, but cool design. I'm going to put this one up again, even though I'm told that once a pic is posted they won't do it because of Chinese copies, or something like that. I posted it years ago, and would still like it...

[Surfingringo]

Hey Jazz, if you don't mind a choil, you can regrind the atlantic salt into something very similar to that pic. Easy regrind too. I've seen several pics around the forums and I'm going to give it a go one of these days.

[Blue72]

What about a spyderco h-1 police, it has a pointy tip, would work with hollow grind and is narrow enough for fish work

[Jazz]

Hey Jazz, if you don't mind a choil, you can regrind the atlantic salt into something very similar to that pic. Easy regrind too. I've seen several pics around the forums and I'm going to give it a go one of these days.

I did it long ago. I'd like a Salt 1 sized without a choil. Here she is...

[thelastbestplace]

I think Spyderco needs a plain edged, fixed blade in H1. I got 2 ideas:

First is a sea survival, utility knife (let's call it the Castaway ) that can be used while in the water (swimming, walking in deep water). A knife you keep with you always around the Ocean and bigger than the Aqua Salt.
-Spear Point - for prying fresh clams and, well.... spearing (I can fantasize a little lol). Drop Point is OK too.
-FFG, Hollow Grind, or Convex - up to Spyderco engineers who know better than me. I don't know H1 properties too well.
-4 to 5 inch blade
-1/8 to 3/16 inch blade thickness
-Large lanyard hole on handle.
-Rustproof sheath that holds the knife close to the body for swimming, and extra strong retention (very important to me).


My second fixed blade idea would be a smaller knife for use on PFDs (life Jackets). It would be of similar size as the Swick but would have a rustproof sheath with strong retention that you could attach to PFDs. It could be used for Scuba divers as well. H1 would be perfect for that type of knife!

I am real happy I got a PE Aqua Salt when they were around.

[Reject]

Just for a bit of a reference, some of what Spyderco already have in H-1.

[Surfingringo]

I did it long ago. I'd like a Salt 1 sized without a choil. Here she is...

Oh yeah, I have seen that one before, I forgot. That's a nice looking grind. Im going to have to try that one day.

[Donut]

Wow, stainless handle with H1 blade? I wasn't aware of that one!

[xceptnl]

Wow, stainless handle with H1 blade? I wasn't aware of that one!

I have been hunting for one for a while. They still bring a premium in new condition.